This in my opinion is a terrible career path to take. Recruiters will lie to you about everything to get you to sign on.

#1 You wont make near what they say you will.
#2 You will be treated like shit from your employer.
#3 You will be treated like shit from the people you deliver to.
#4 You will be treated like shit from other drivers on the road.
#5 This career is really detrimental to your health. (You are sitting behind a wheel not getting any physical activity for 8 plus hours at a time damn near every day.)

My advice, avoid this career at all cost.

I am employed by the largest Trucking Company in the United States and I hate every minute of every day, but hey at least I have a job in this shitty economy right? That is what I have to tell myself every day to get up and go to work.

I'm currently sponging unemployment. If I go to this local school, it will be funded by the state. Polk Co. in Florida, "Polk Works", has a program for unemployed people that pay for this. I'll find out more about it Wednesday.

I'm currently sponging unemployment. If I go to this local school, it will be funded by the state. Polk Co. in Florida, "Polk Works", has a program for unemployed people that pay for this. I'll find out more about it Wednesday.

I really never cared to post this anywhere but I am the owner of Truckingboards.com We have 32k members there & well over a million posts, actually way more than that over the years because I torched the place by accident in 2006. We have been online since 1999. I personally have 26 years in the LTL business with 16+ years in a row safe driving, I have been in one accident that was my fault involving another vehicle in 26 years. No Injuries

at Truckingboards there are thousands of years of experience, if you want the truth then go there and register and ask... You may not get the answer you want but it will save you a bunch of time in the future.

Indeed I did Greg 2.6 million miles in 12 and a half years as an Owner Operator delivering to every damn nook and cranny of North America you can think of.
And YES, I've also run the "Ice Roads" in Alaska, Yukon, and NWT.
Flats, drops, double drops, trombones, step's, tanks, rocky mt doubles, Super B's, quads, boosters, vans, reefers, ...Just about ANY kind of trailer you can think of.
And as far as loads, just about every size/weight imagionable.

One of my more scarier moments was when some nut job in gold Vett past me on an off ramp out side of Billings one night

My advice a rookie starting out, let the "big" company pay for the mistakes your abbout to make...(and you will) Like Schnider or J.B Hunt. Get about 6months to a year with them, then go for a smaller better paying private carrier.

This is the ticket. They will take you, you can get the training, some experience and move on.

If you want to stay local, get the experience as stated above, hook up with your local LTL carriers. I worked as a casual on the dock for Yellow in Lenexa and also Bowman in the est bottoms before getting day time PU & DU. That took me to a run to Memphis, then pulled triples & doubles to Wichita.

You can work your way to what you want, have to be patient and put in your time.

OverHead, I always wanted to take a trip to Alaska & the NW when I was on the road. I use to run Toronto weekly when pulling a tanker back in 1989.

Like you, some of the truck driving stories I can tell is just nuts.

Dave, one guy mentioned keeping the left hand door closed ..... This is important. Do not let the truck stop beauties and game rooms consume you and your quest to make money.

__________________

“I refuse to lower my standards to accommodate those who refuse to raise theirs.
Steve Gamlin
"Strive not to be a success, but rather to be of value."
Albert Einstein

This in my opinion is a terrible career path to take. Recruiters will lie to you about everything to get you to sign on.

#1 You wont make near what they say you will.
#2 You will be treated like shit from your employer.
#3 You will be treated like shit from the people you deliver to.
#4 You will be treated like shit from other drivers on the road.
#5 This career is really detrimental to your health. (You are sitting behind a wheel not getting any physical activity for 8 plus hours at a time damn near every day.)

My advice, avoid this career at all cost.

I am employed by the largest Trucking Company in the United States and I hate every minute of every day, but hey at least I have a job in this shitty economy right? That is what I have to tell myself every day to get up and go to work.

Not sure why you have this perception but not all trucking companies are the same dude. Just because you have / had a bad experience with one or said company does not make them all evil.

Are you a company driver or are you an owner operator? If you have the experience, you can be very selective with who you work for. With the shortage of drivers in the country, if you are not a seat jumper you can find a job anywhere. Bigger companies do let you get lost within the numbers but smaller companies are more personal and family oriented.

Crap, for that matter I have a truck that is empty and can be put on the road within a week.

If you are worth your weight in salt, the pay will be there.

__________________

“I refuse to lower my standards to accommodate those who refuse to raise theirs.
Steve Gamlin
"Strive not to be a success, but rather to be of value."
Albert Einstein

I'm currently sponging unemployment. If I go to this local school, it will be funded by the state. Polk Co. in Florida, "Polk Works", has a program for unemployed people that pay for this. I'll find out more about it Wednesday.

Dave, you mentioned you had some previous experience but not a lot ?

Flatbed or van ?

__________________

“I refuse to lower my standards to accommodate those who refuse to raise theirs.
Steve Gamlin
"Strive not to be a success, but rather to be of value."
Albert Einstein

I really never cared to post this anywhere but I am the owner of Truckingboards.com We have 32k members there & well over a million posts, actually way more than that over the years because I torched the place by accident in 2006. We have been online since 1999. I personally have 26 years in the LTL business with 16+ years in a row safe driving, I have been in one accident that was my fault involving another vehicle in 26 years. No Injuries

at Truckingboards there are thousands of years of experience, if you want the truth then go there and register and ask... You may not get the answer you want but it will save you a bunch of time in the future.

Who do you work for now ?

Going to another site to get more information on driving may confuse him more. TBH, I think we here can get him lined up with a job he can be happy with.

Damn, if anybody out there is looking for a job driving a truck, PM me and I'll put you to work!

Got truck, need a driver!

__________________

“I refuse to lower my standards to accommodate those who refuse to raise theirs.
Steve Gamlin
"Strive not to be a success, but rather to be of value."
Albert Einstein